This article examines the figurative triad of “forest - garden - tree” in the works of prominent Finnish poets writing in Finnish and Swedish. It analyzes the characteristics of this poetic triad in the works of Edith Södergran, Katri Vala, Lars Huldén, Eeva-Liisa Manner and others within a Northern European context, drawing on the literary heritage of Karin Boye, Karl Werner Aspenström and Rainer Maria Rilke. At the same time, the “forest - garden - tree” triad is reminiscent of the “forest - sacred grove - tree” triad found in Finno-Ugric folk culture. Katri Vala’s garden image also resembles the alternating landscapes within the poetic garden space of China. In the poetry of Södergran and Vala, the garden image is ambiguous; more precisely, it consists of dozens of different images in constant flux. In Södergran’s work, the garden can be dangerous, while Vala’s garden images can contrast sharply with each other. In the work of the Swedish-speaking Finnish poet Lars Huldén, the garden theme evolved from a romantic image into a symbol of sociality and civic engagement. The comparison of a human to a tree became a favored poetic device in both Finnish and Swedish-language poetry. The poets seek protection and understanding from the tree, identifying with it. A poet’s depiction of a garden, forest or tree reveals much about both the poet and their era. The poets confirm D. S. Likhachev’s idea that the creation of a garden is an attempt to create a just world in humanity’s relationship with both nature and one another.